1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the field of automotive controls and more generally to controls of apparatus of any type which is operated by or must be responsive to human interactive control.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Most automobiles have the engine functions controlled by onboard computer chips. Fuel injection, timing, temperature and RPM are input into an onboard computer which then calculates the desired engine timing according to a prestored fixed program.
Advances in the prior art have been directed to increasing levels of sophistication or intelligence typically manifested by more varied types of engine or vehicle data inputs and use of increasingly sophisticated engine control output programs. For example, Stevenson et al., "Engine Control System"; U.S. Pat. No. 4,368,705 (1983), describes an engine control system utilizing a digital microprocessor for controlling the timing mechanism and fuel pump rack limit to set engine timing of and maximum allowable rate of fuel delivery to the engine for maximum engine performance within smoke and emissions as set by EPA levels. Holmes, "Adaptive Control for an Internal Combustion Engine"; U.S. Pat. No. 4,893,600 (1990), is directed generally to a digital computer system for establishing values for control parameters which will be continuously varied in accordance with one or more operating input parameters on the engine. Quigley et al., "Engine Control System with Adaptive Air Charge Control"; U.S. Pat. No. 4,879,656 (1989), describes another onboard computer system in which the fuel charge and ignition spark timing of the operating engine is controlled as a function of stored tables based on engine speed and air charge. McHale et al., "Adaptive Control System for an Internal Combustion Engine", U.S. Pat. No. 4,841,933 (1989), is also directed to a computer control system in which an engine control parameter is continuously monitored and dynamically directed. Control is implemented in different modes depending upon the speed range. Takasu et al., "Method and Apparatus for Controlling Ignition Timing in a Multicylinder Internal Combustion Engine", U.S. Pat. No. 4,453,521 (1984), describes a system in which a plurality of prestored ignition timing combinations are utilized to continuously search and find an optimum ignition timing combination. Willis et al., "Adaptive Strategy to Control Internal Combustion Engine", U.S. Pat. No. 4,438,497 (1984), discloses a method for adaptively controlling engine calibration control values. A driving pattern is perfected based on analysis of recent past driving patterns and engine control values appropriate for the predicted driving pattern and desired emission constraint are then generated. Driving cycles are analyzed to generate a table of engine calibration control values. Suzuki et al., "Method and Apparatus for Optimum Control for Internal Combustion Engines", U.S. Pat. No. 4,403,584 (1983), discloses a computer system for optimum control of an engine in which values of ignition time and an air/fuel ratio of the engine are prestored in the form of maps in accordance with parameters indicative of operating conditions of the engine. Kamifuji et al., "Engine Control Apparatus and Control Method", U.S. Pat. No. 4,547,852 (1985), describes a method of controlling an engine based upon continuous updating of parameters relating to engine temperature as applied to a prestored control program. Goldenberg et al., "Automotive Regulating Process and Device for Multifuel Internal Combustion Engines", U.S. Pat. No. 4,682,293 (1987), describes an automotive computer system for automatically regulating the running condition of an engine fed with different fuels. The regulator monitors the data processing unit delivering signals representative of the amount and type of fuel being contained in the tank before and after a new fuel supply is provided and controlling the engine correspondingly.
What each of the examples of prior art engine control technology illustrates is that control of the engine and response to some change in the operating characteristics is automatically effectuated through a prestored program or at least through a prestored algorithm which continuously generates control numbers used to modify prestored operating programs, maps or tables. In all cases, the human operator of the vehicle cannot actively intervene to alter engine operating protocol other than through the manipulation of normal controls and then only subject to the constraints provided by the onboard computer.
Therefore, what is needed is some means whereby computer operator control of an engine can be made more responsive to the human operator.
In order to change the operating program in a conventional automotive computer system the battery is disconnected from the vehicle while the transmission is in park, and the engine turned off. The glove compartment is removed to allow access to the automotive computer. The computer module is then dislodged from its mounting and its wiring harness is removed. Typically, a face plate on the computer module must be unscrewed to allow access to an Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory (EPROM) which contains the operating parameters. The EPROM is then removed from the socket and replaced with a new EPROM, there being socket space for only one memory chip. The whole procedure is then reversed to restore the vehicle to an operating condition.
Furthermore, means is required in order to inexpensively and conveniently retrofit prior art computer controlled vehicles to permit greater operator interactive control.
Still further, when retrofitting an automobile with an automotive alarm, it is often necessary to cut or splice into the wiring harness of the automobile in order to disable the automobile upon an alarm condition. Since practical access to the automotive computer is not possible, it cannot be disabled. Therefore, only interruption of the powering harness is available as a means of selective engine disablement.